Offshore staff
CALGARY, Canada – The semisubmersible Wilhunterhas started to drill the Hurricane appraisal well for operator Ithaca Energy in the UK central North Sea.
The location is in block 29/10b within the company’s currentGreater Stella Area, which is under development.
Applied Drilling Technologies International is managing drilling operations under a turnkey contract. Drilling should last 75-85 days, including a drillstem test.
Shell drilled the 29/10-4z Hurricane discovery in 1995, and encountered 41° API light oil in Eocene Rogaland sands in the structure’s western lobe.
The current well targets the base of the Tertiary section in the eastern lobe of the mapped structure, with the aims of confirming the nature and volume of the recoverable hydrocarbons; calibrating the hydrocarbon contact with seismic amplitude; and verifying the distribution, quality, and connectivity of the reservoir.
If successful, the wellbore will be suspended for future re-entry and completion as a production well.
Hurricane is within 10 km (6.2 mi) of theFPF-1 floating production platform that will serve the Stella and Harrier fields. Ithaca anticipates that Hurricane will be tied back to the FPF-1 via subsea facilities.
7/10/2012
